Thirty or so hours into the NFL’s legal negotiation period, the Browns were on a productive but predictable track. They’d added two starting defensive linemen and had a deal in place to bring Breshad Perriman back. Things lined up for the continued pursuit of a linebacker and additional depth across the defense.

Then they traded for Odell Beckham Jr., and the party was really on.

The Browns are now playing for really big prizes. On paper, they have one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses — and one of its youngest. The addition of Beckham gives the Browns a player who can catch anything, who can turn simple slants into big gains and who should free up his teammates in the pass game and the run game.

Imagine the giggling in the office this week between Freddie Kitchens and Todd Monken as they draw up plays and formation concepts. With Beckham, Jarvis Landry and David Njoku can line up anywhere across the formation. Antonio Callaway can get...